University Of Dallas
This document was uploaded by user and they confirmed that they have the permission to share it. If you are author or own the copyright of this book, please report to us by using this DMCA report form. Report DMCA
Overview
Download & View University Of Dallas as PDF for free.
More details
- Words: 4,102
- Pages: 10
University of Dallas Irving, Texas www.udallas.edu
Overview The sprawling city of Irving, Texas, is a 203,000-person suburb of Dallas. In it are the headquarters of such giants as ExxonMobil and the Boy Scouts of America as well as the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. It also is the home of one of the finest Catholic colleges, the University of Dallas. Founded in 1956, this liberal arts-oriented institution consistently ranks among the most praised colleges in the United States. In addition to its orthodox Catholicism, the University of Dallas is widely respected for intellectual rigor and quality of teaching. The driving force behind the establishment of the university was the Sisters of Saint Mary of Namur. They approached then-Bishop Thomas Gorman to expand their junior college, Our Lady of Victory, and give control to a board of trustees under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Dallas. Among the initial faculty in 1956 were members of the Cistercian, Sisters of Saint Mary and Franciscan orders. Undergraduate students comprise less than half of the study body—about 45 percent—but 81 percent are Catholic. Only 27 percent of the graduate students are Catholic. The university draws undergraduate students from 47 states and from 19 other countries with its commitment to a core curriculum, largely based on the classics of Western Civilization. About one-quarter of the students are legacy students, meaning that parents or other relatives are alumni. According to one 2006 alumnus, “Students hear firsthand from their
The Newman Guide
quick facts Founded: 1956 Type of institution: Small university Setting: Suburban Undergraduate enrollment: 1,299 (2008–09 academic year) Total undergraduate cost: $32,865 (tuition, room and board for 2009–10) Undergraduate majors: 27
Five Key Points 1. A 15-course core curriculum studies Catholic intellectual tradition. 2. The lay-controlled university embraces Catholic identity. 3. Teachers and students have created a vibrant intellectual environment. 4. A Rome semester is highly popular and impressive. 5. There is a vital spiritual life on and near the campus.
229
University of Dallas
siblings, parents and relatives how great UD is, and they want to experience it themselves. It is not at all uncommon for siblings to attend UD at the same time. There is a family atmosphere.” Yet, that does not imply a sense of smugness. One professor said, “UD tends to have very well-rounded students but not ‘grinds.’ The ones coming here have been those who in high school were able to excel academically while also balancing their social lives and outside interests. We also have a number of homeschooled students and a few ‘funky types’ who want the life of the mind.” Academic preparation is such that more than 80 percent of the students attend graduate or professional schools. The university has the distinction of having gained a Phi Beta Kappa chapter faster than any other institution in the 20th century. UD claims to have the largest number of National Merit Finalists per capita of any Catholic college or university in the United States, and 18 students have earned Fulbright awards. There are 27 majors that are rooted in the typical liberal arts disciplines. Included are classics degrees in either Greek or Latin and a studio arts program. But unlike most contemporary universities with a range of departments and majors, UD students must take half of their courses in the core curriculum to receive an undergraduate degree. One former faculty member said of the core curriculum: “Its brilliance lies in studying the ancients, medievals and moderns several times during the college years. While there is an historical and sequential study of these eras, students also go back at different points during their years [at UD] to read, for example, Aristotle and Plato again.” The Braniff Graduate School of Liberal Arts was added in 1966 and offers master’s degrees in eight areas and an interdisciplinary Ph.D., which has the unique character of also relying on a core curriculum. The man-
230
From the Financial Aid Office “The University of Dallas offers a comprehensive array of merit-based and need-based financial aid programs designed to make UD an affordable choice for all qualified students, regardless of their financial means. UD makes every effort to assist students based on the financial need demonstrated through the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). This need-based assistance comes in the form of federal grants, loans and work study, but also includes institutional grants provided by the university itself. “In addition to need-based financial aid, the university rewards outstanding students with scholarship assistance. For most scholarships, no separate application is necessary; a student’s application for admission serves as their application for scholarships as well. Scholarship consideration is based on a combination of standardized test scores and academic performance in high school. Scholarship awards range up to full tuition and are renewable for up to four years. “In addition to these academic awards, various departments at UD offer departmental scholarships, for which a separate application and interview are required. These scholarships range up to $3,000/ year and reward excellence in a particular subject area.” agement school has several M.B.A. programs as well as additional master’s degrees in management. Also, the School of Ministry, which traces its roots back to 1987, offers courses, degrees The Newman Guide
University of Dallas
and diocesan training programs. The sticker price for a UD education is not cheap—$32,865 for tuition, room and board in 2009-10—but that is comparable to other private universities in Texas. The real treat is in UD’s generous financial aid, which brings tuition for the average student well below typical Texas rates. UD participates in federal grant and loan programs.
Governance The university is governed by a 30-plus member board of trustees, comprised largely of lay business leaders from the Dallas area and alumni. There are a few Catholic religious figures on the board, most notably the bishops of the Dioceses of Dallas and Fort Worth, but there no longer is any diocesan control. Bishop Kevin Farrell of the Diocese of Dallas serves as chancellor of the university. Dr. Frank Lazarus became the seventh president of the University of Dallas in 2004. All of his predecessors, with one exception, were lay presidents. Dr. Lazarus, a scholar of classical languages, previously held administrative positions at the University of San Diego, Marquette University and the University of Dayton. Dr. Lazarus announced in April 2009 that he would be retiring at the end of the year. The university immediately appointed Robert Galecke, the executive vice president, as interim president, effective September 1. Dr. Lazarus will be on sabbatical for the fall 2009 semester.
The Newman Guide
Public Identity As part of its mission statement, the University of Dallas declares: “The University is dedicated to the recovery of the Christian intellectual tradition, and to the renewal of Catholic theology in fidelity to the Church and in constructive dialogue with the modern world.” The emphasis of the university is rooted in a core curriculum, because the administration believes that the western tradition is the Catholic tradition. One English professor told us, “The core teaches us that the goal of education is to seek the Truth and that Truth exists.” As a result, one 2006 alumnus said the university is “one of the only universities left that is both Catholic and catholic. That is to say, it is orthodox and faithful and is very willing to pursue Truth from whichever avenues it might come.” Dr. Lazarus gives much credit for this Catholic faithfulness to the professors. In his inauguration address in 2004, he said: “The faculty and administration, but especially the faculty, of this institution have from the time of the founding positioned the University of Dallas in the mainstream of the Catholic Intellectual Tradition by virtue of their scholarship, their development and cultivation of the core curriculum, and by the example of their own lives in the form of personal witness to the Faith and fidelity to the teachings of the Church.” Those we interviewed gave high marks to Dr. Lazarus for reemphasizing the university’s Catholic identity while proceeding in a
231
University of Dallas
balanced way. He has placed a high priority on Ex corde Ecclesiae and stresses the university’s Catholic commitment to high school students and their parents in prospective student weekends. But an incident took place in early 2008 which caused much angst—especially among alumni leaders—about whether UD’s Catholic identity was threatened by a misguided notion of “academic freedom.” A visiting student art exhibit included a blasphemous painting of the Virgin of Guadalupe, and although the university administration was unaware of the painting prior to the exhibit, the university’s response to student and alumni complaints was slow and inadequate. Eventually a Mass of Reparation was offered, and Dr. Lazarus served as a lector. It has thus far proven to be a single incident, and UD’s Catholic identity remains extraordinary by comparison to the many secularizing Catholic universities in America. The strong response to the blasphemous art is itself an encouraging sign. The new president will inherit an enduring Catholic ethos on campus, one which has a transformational effect on students, according to close observers of the college. For example, Father Philip Powell, O.P., the former campus minister, said, “Many freshmen come in looking like conservative Catholics. Over the course of their time at UD, they often become orthodox Catholics.”
232
He added, “And what is ‘orthodoxy’? It’s thinking, teaching and preaching with the mind of the Church.” In addition to the curriculum, the university bolsters its Catholic identity by its choice of campus speakers. In January 2009, Archbishop Agostino Marchetto of the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Care lectured. Other speakers have included those who have delivered the John Paul II Theology Lecture: Russell Hittinger, the Warren Chair of Catholic Studies at the University of Tulsa, presented the first lecture in 2007. He was followed in 2008 and 2009 by Cardinal Francis Arinze and Michael Waldstein, a theologian and translator. Some of UD’s speakers do not necessarily deal with Catholic issues but rather address a range of intellectual concerns. Examples include publisher Steve Forbes, Robert and Jean Hollander of the digital Princeton Dante Project, and Nobel Prize winner and Green Revolution pioneer Dr. Norman Borlaug. The 2008 commencement speaker was Dr. John Lenczowski, former U.S. government official and founder and president of The Institute of World Politics, who has been very supportive of the university as a parent of a UD student. Dr. Lenczowski told graduates, “It has been my conclusion, after considerable study, that there is no better liberal arts college in America.” And in a letter to pro-
The Newman Guide
University of Dallas
spective students, he assured them that “the University of Dallas teaches the Catholic faith according to the teachings of the Church.” The university also reaches out to the broader Catholic community. One example is through the renamed University of Dallas School of Ministry, which holds annual ministry conferences that draw more than 1,000 participants. The next conference is scheduled for October 2009 in the Dallas Convention Center and will include Archbishop Donald Wuerl of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., and Catholic columnist John Allen. Finally, the university has benefitted from interaction with other Catholic entities. It has had a long relationship with a number of religious orders, including the Cistercians, Franciscans, Dominicans, Sisters of Saint Mary of Namur and School Sisters of Notre Dame. The interdisciplinary Society of Catholic Social Scientists held their 2006 meeting on campus.
Academics Across the board, our interviewees report that the core curriculum integrates the Catholic worldview with the secular worlds of the various disciplines. This sense of interrelatedness is so pervasive that even a Buddhist who teaches in the English department sees the core as strengthened by the Catholic intellectual tradition. One alumnus spoke of him: “He loves the Catholic confidence that there is a Truth we can strive for.” There are 15 required courses distributed as follows: four each in English and history, three in philosophy, two in theology and one each in economics and politics. Students also select an additional 10 courses from several liberal arts fields. As befits a college that, as Dr. Lazarus notes, emphasizes the Catholic intellectual tradition, it is not surprising that the theology and philosophy departments would be strong. The Newman Guide
Because of the core curriculum, students also encounter this religious heritage “at different times and in different ways in their studies,” according to one faculty member. The theology department is anchored by chair Dr. Mark Lowery, a moral theologian, described by a recent alumnus as “very orthodox and well-loved,” by a campus official as “exemplary,” and by a former faculty colleague as “a saint.” Also frequently singled out for praise is Dr. Christopher Malloy, who teaches systematic theology. He told us, “We present orthodoxy clearly and in dialogue with philosophy and science. If a student wants to get Truth, it is very clear here.” There are many strong Catholic faculty members in the English department, including Dr. Gregory Roper, a medieval literature scholar and 2009 Haggar Fellow for teaching excellence, and Dr. Gerard Wegemer, an expert on Thomas More. Another spiritually engaged and popular professor is the chair of the history department, Dr. Thomas Jodziewicz, the recipient of the campus 2007 King Fellow Award. He started a faculty-student group around the theme of faith and reason. The reading for the first meeting in fall 2006 was Pope Benedict’s encyclical Deus Caritas Est. The sciences and mathematics are important at UD. Students in these areas get intensive training, undertake research work and go on to graduate study. Among notable faculty is Dr. Marcy Brown-Marsden, the biology department chair and a bird expert. Nearly 80 percent of the students, most in their sophomore year, participate in the Rome Program. Thousands have experienced this rigorous 15-credit semester over almost 40 years. The current site, known as the Eugene Constantin Campus, is a villa with a vineyard outside of Rome, complete with a 108-student residence hall and athletic facilities. The pope’s summer residence, Castel Gandolfo, is visible from the campus.
233
University of Dallas
In Rome, too, the core curriculum is emphasized, as immersion in the culture and intellectual tradition merge. “It is not at all uncommon to see students reading Sophocles in the Rome metro on the way to an art and architecture class,” one alumnus told us. And as one English professor emphasized, the spiritual dimension is ever present. He said, “The semester in Rome is a significant opportunity for spiritual growth. We are able to integrate our lives of study, living
together and practicing the faith. We have daily Mass, night prayer. The students particularly love that the faculty are there with their families.” “On the whole,” we were told by a recent participant, “people grow up during their Rome semester. The challenge of balancing time, the proximity to the heart of Western civilization and Catholicism and the closeness to some fantastic peers all rub off on people.”
Message from the President Dear Parents and Prospective Students: Since its founding, the University of Dallas has been dedicated to the intellectual and spiritual traditions of the Catholic Church. Nationally recognized as one of the premier Catholic liberal arts and sciences colleges in America, the University of Dallas has selected as its chief task the education of leaders. Our great books core curriculum allows students to encounter and engage the greatest thinkers and ideas of western civilization. A semester spent at our campus in Rome, Italy, complements the core curriculum for our students. UD’s discussion-oriented classes average 17 students, and the character of the UD education developed in those classes produces critical, independent-thinkers. UD offers 26 majors and 23 concentrations, as well as 10 pre-professional programs. All areas of study reflect our graduate approach to undergraduate education; as a result more than 90 percent of our pre-law students and over 85 percent of our pre-med students are accepted into their first-choice professional schools. Overall, nearly 80 percent of our graduates eventually pursue advanced degrees. The fundamental elements and history of the Catholic Intellectual Tradition are woven throughout the core curriculum and indeed, throughout our campus. UD is a place where students will find an intellectual and spiritual experience in perfect accord with each other.
Sincerely,
234
Dr. Francis M. Lazarus
The Newman Guide
The university also sponsors a studyabroad program for high school students in Italy and England. There are similar opportunities for adults and teachers. Because of this emphasis on foreign study, the University of Dallas has been identified as one of the top 20 study-abroad programs according to the Institute for International Education. Students as well as others also benefit from some domestic institutes. One is the Center for Thomas More Studies, which sponsors courses, conferences and publications related to the 16th-century English saint. The 2008 conference counted as continuing legal education for lawyers through an arrangement with the State Bar of Texas. The department of education sponsors the Dallas Area Network for Teaching and Education (DANTE), which helps prepare and nurture Catholic schoolteachers in Texas. And since 1987 the Institute for Religious and Pastoral Studies has provided a variety of courses. Recently, the IRPS launched a Master of Theological Studies degree for the Diocese of Tyler, Texas; a Spanish-speaking Deacon program for the Diocese of Dallas; and online courses for nationwide access. In May 2007, the institute was renamed the University of Dallas School of Ministry. During that month, the school also graduated an unprecedented number of 100 graduates from 37 Texas parishes from its Catholic Bible School. Bishop Vann of Fort Worth celebrated the graduation Mass that year and again in 2009.
The Newman Guide
University of Dallas
Spiritual Life The spiritual life at UD is, in the words of a 2006 alumnus, “extremely robust and alive.” One characteristic that repeatedly emerged in our interviews is that faculty and their families actively participate in Masses and other religious activities. As a result, one English professor said, “The students can see their professor as a whole person.” Masses are offered Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 12:05 p.m., and Monday through Thursday at 5 p.m. at the campus Church of the Incarnation. The chapel serves as a parish, and students and community residents swell daily Mass attendance to about 200 people. There are four Sunday Masses, including one on Saturday night. Confessions are heard six times a week and by appointment. The campus ministry has a few programs such as a weekly Dinner and Discourse faithbased social gathering and pro-life work through the Crusaders for Life club (a number of students attend pro-life observances in Austin). Social service activities are particularly strong. Among these is participation in the Dallas Hearts & Hammer program that refurbishes inner-city houses and serves meals at homeless shelters. A new weekly “Crochet Day” brings students together to create baby blankets for a women’s center. Another group volunteers every Friday afternoon at a local St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store. 235
University of Dallas
An outreach program which extends back to 1994 is the Alternative Spring Break, which focused then on assisting in Mississippi and Ecuador. In 2008 and 2009, students spent their spring break in Athens, Georgia, helping to tutor, repair buildings and create a playground. Students can share in the spiritual life of the on-campus Priory of St. Albert the Great, which includes 15 Dominican friars, and the nearby Our Lady of Dallas Abbey, which has 28 Cistercian monks. There is also a nearby Opus Dei center, the Wingren Study Center; one of their service projects is organizing an annual spring-break trip to a school for the poor in Monterrey, Mexico.
Student Activities There are more than 40 clubs and organizations on campus. In addition to typical collegiate groups, there is a Venture Club for outdoor exploration and camping, and a Best Buddies program that works with children with special needs. The pro-life Crusaders for Life group is very active. Every year the junior class sponsors Charity Week, a major fundraiser for charitable organizations; in 2008, over $19,000 was raised. The student government is reported to be strong and attracts active Catholics to its service. In addition to an executive council, there is a Student Government Senate and an events programming board known as SPUD. One popular annual social event is Groundhog Weekend in February, which includes a concert, rugby match and other activities; more than half of the undergraduates took 236
part in the 2009 event. The weekly student newspaper, The University News, is impressive. The Rotary Club has recently formed a chapter at UD. Three language clubs—German, Italian and Spanish—are up and running. Students also have the opportunity to participate in a broad intramural sports program. The University of Dallas fields teams in 13 sports under the umbrella of the NCAA Division III and competes regionally. The 2007 men’s soccer team was among the nation’s leading teams and posted a 17-1-1 record; the 2008 team received its first invitation to the NCAA tournament. Local cultural opportunities are presented in an organized program called Dallas Year.
Residential Life Most undergraduate students are required to live on campus. There are eight residence halls and a small number of apartments. A new residence hall, to house 298 students, is under construction and is due to open in January 2010. All apartments are same-sex, although married couples can live in the apartments. Students are separated in residence halls by gender by floor. The university handbook specifies visitation times throughout the week, and overnight opposite-sex visitation is not allowed. Students reportedly abide by these rules. There are chastity programs promoted in the dorms and by student government. Despite the university’s strictures against it, drinking has been a problem off and on.
The Newman Guide
University of Dallas
One former professor told us, “Drinking had an odd heritage in the early days of the university. There developed a sense that it was ‘a Catholic macho thing’ to drink, sometimes heavily.” Drinking today seems to be more of an off-campus issue. An alcohol-awareness week has been held each spring since 2006. The health clinic at the Haggar University Center addresses routine medical issues. There are several hospitals in the area, including the Las Colinas Medical Center and the Baylor Medical Center at Irving.
The Community Irving, Texas, is adjacent to Dallas, a worldclass city and part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area, which includes about 5.8 million people. The cultural, sports and social opportunities in the area are extensive. The popular Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League, which had played its home games across the street from the university’s campus, moved in 2009 to a new stadium in Arlington, about 25 minutes away. The region’s economy is largely based on health care, aeronautics, communications and banking. The region has a pleasant climate most of the year but has scorching summers. Crime in Irving is slightly above the national average, but the University of Dallas campus is relatively safe and free of violent crime. The most campus police violations, by far, are for alcohol abuse. UD is easy to reach, especially via Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, which The Newman Guide
is a key hub for American Airlines. Amtrak is located in Dallas, and there is an extensive system of roads. The Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Light Rail will open a UD station on its Orange Line in 2012.
The Bottom Line The University of Dallas is a premier Catholic university in the United States. It combines an extensive core curriculum, often emphasizing classical works, with an adherence to the Catholic intellectual tradition. The university prides itself on its quest for knowledge, confident that any inquiry will lead back to the Catholic Truth. UD has one of the most impressive studyabroad semesters that we have seen with its Rome Program; 80 percent of its students take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to immerse themselves in the classics in a region steeped in the antecedents of Western and Catholic thought. Overall, then, it is no surprise that so many commentators and other college guidebooks give the university such high marks. The University of Dallas has provided service to the Catholic community in Texas and throughout the nation for half a century. It has weathered some storms, expanded and, in the end, remained faithful to its mission. Any Catholic student interested in challenging his or her mind would do well to put UD on a list of colleges to investigate.
237
For more information on recommended Catholic colleges go to TheNewmanGuide.com
Videos, pictures, application deadlines, open house dates, admissions contact information, insider tips and more!
Free and online 24/7
Follow The Newman Guide on Facebook and Twitter @TheNewmanGuide
Overview The sprawling city of Irving, Texas, is a 203,000-person suburb of Dallas. In it are the headquarters of such giants as ExxonMobil and the Boy Scouts of America as well as the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. It also is the home of one of the finest Catholic colleges, the University of Dallas. Founded in 1956, this liberal arts-oriented institution consistently ranks among the most praised colleges in the United States. In addition to its orthodox Catholicism, the University of Dallas is widely respected for intellectual rigor and quality of teaching. The driving force behind the establishment of the university was the Sisters of Saint Mary of Namur. They approached then-Bishop Thomas Gorman to expand their junior college, Our Lady of Victory, and give control to a board of trustees under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Dallas. Among the initial faculty in 1956 were members of the Cistercian, Sisters of Saint Mary and Franciscan orders. Undergraduate students comprise less than half of the study body—about 45 percent—but 81 percent are Catholic. Only 27 percent of the graduate students are Catholic. The university draws undergraduate students from 47 states and from 19 other countries with its commitment to a core curriculum, largely based on the classics of Western Civilization. About one-quarter of the students are legacy students, meaning that parents or other relatives are alumni. According to one 2006 alumnus, “Students hear firsthand from their
The Newman Guide
quick facts Founded: 1956 Type of institution: Small university Setting: Suburban Undergraduate enrollment: 1,299 (2008–09 academic year) Total undergraduate cost: $32,865 (tuition, room and board for 2009–10) Undergraduate majors: 27
Five Key Points 1. A 15-course core curriculum studies Catholic intellectual tradition. 2. The lay-controlled university embraces Catholic identity. 3. Teachers and students have created a vibrant intellectual environment. 4. A Rome semester is highly popular and impressive. 5. There is a vital spiritual life on and near the campus.
229
University of Dallas
siblings, parents and relatives how great UD is, and they want to experience it themselves. It is not at all uncommon for siblings to attend UD at the same time. There is a family atmosphere.” Yet, that does not imply a sense of smugness. One professor said, “UD tends to have very well-rounded students but not ‘grinds.’ The ones coming here have been those who in high school were able to excel academically while also balancing their social lives and outside interests. We also have a number of homeschooled students and a few ‘funky types’ who want the life of the mind.” Academic preparation is such that more than 80 percent of the students attend graduate or professional schools. The university has the distinction of having gained a Phi Beta Kappa chapter faster than any other institution in the 20th century. UD claims to have the largest number of National Merit Finalists per capita of any Catholic college or university in the United States, and 18 students have earned Fulbright awards. There are 27 majors that are rooted in the typical liberal arts disciplines. Included are classics degrees in either Greek or Latin and a studio arts program. But unlike most contemporary universities with a range of departments and majors, UD students must take half of their courses in the core curriculum to receive an undergraduate degree. One former faculty member said of the core curriculum: “Its brilliance lies in studying the ancients, medievals and moderns several times during the college years. While there is an historical and sequential study of these eras, students also go back at different points during their years [at UD] to read, for example, Aristotle and Plato again.” The Braniff Graduate School of Liberal Arts was added in 1966 and offers master’s degrees in eight areas and an interdisciplinary Ph.D., which has the unique character of also relying on a core curriculum. The man-
230
From the Financial Aid Office “The University of Dallas offers a comprehensive array of merit-based and need-based financial aid programs designed to make UD an affordable choice for all qualified students, regardless of their financial means. UD makes every effort to assist students based on the financial need demonstrated through the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). This need-based assistance comes in the form of federal grants, loans and work study, but also includes institutional grants provided by the university itself. “In addition to need-based financial aid, the university rewards outstanding students with scholarship assistance. For most scholarships, no separate application is necessary; a student’s application for admission serves as their application for scholarships as well. Scholarship consideration is based on a combination of standardized test scores and academic performance in high school. Scholarship awards range up to full tuition and are renewable for up to four years. “In addition to these academic awards, various departments at UD offer departmental scholarships, for which a separate application and interview are required. These scholarships range up to $3,000/ year and reward excellence in a particular subject area.” agement school has several M.B.A. programs as well as additional master’s degrees in management. Also, the School of Ministry, which traces its roots back to 1987, offers courses, degrees The Newman Guide
University of Dallas
and diocesan training programs. The sticker price for a UD education is not cheap—$32,865 for tuition, room and board in 2009-10—but that is comparable to other private universities in Texas. The real treat is in UD’s generous financial aid, which brings tuition for the average student well below typical Texas rates. UD participates in federal grant and loan programs.
Governance The university is governed by a 30-plus member board of trustees, comprised largely of lay business leaders from the Dallas area and alumni. There are a few Catholic religious figures on the board, most notably the bishops of the Dioceses of Dallas and Fort Worth, but there no longer is any diocesan control. Bishop Kevin Farrell of the Diocese of Dallas serves as chancellor of the university. Dr. Frank Lazarus became the seventh president of the University of Dallas in 2004. All of his predecessors, with one exception, were lay presidents. Dr. Lazarus, a scholar of classical languages, previously held administrative positions at the University of San Diego, Marquette University and the University of Dayton. Dr. Lazarus announced in April 2009 that he would be retiring at the end of the year. The university immediately appointed Robert Galecke, the executive vice president, as interim president, effective September 1. Dr. Lazarus will be on sabbatical for the fall 2009 semester.
The Newman Guide
Public Identity As part of its mission statement, the University of Dallas declares: “The University is dedicated to the recovery of the Christian intellectual tradition, and to the renewal of Catholic theology in fidelity to the Church and in constructive dialogue with the modern world.” The emphasis of the university is rooted in a core curriculum, because the administration believes that the western tradition is the Catholic tradition. One English professor told us, “The core teaches us that the goal of education is to seek the Truth and that Truth exists.” As a result, one 2006 alumnus said the university is “one of the only universities left that is both Catholic and catholic. That is to say, it is orthodox and faithful and is very willing to pursue Truth from whichever avenues it might come.” Dr. Lazarus gives much credit for this Catholic faithfulness to the professors. In his inauguration address in 2004, he said: “The faculty and administration, but especially the faculty, of this institution have from the time of the founding positioned the University of Dallas in the mainstream of the Catholic Intellectual Tradition by virtue of their scholarship, their development and cultivation of the core curriculum, and by the example of their own lives in the form of personal witness to the Faith and fidelity to the teachings of the Church.” Those we interviewed gave high marks to Dr. Lazarus for reemphasizing the university’s Catholic identity while proceeding in a
231
University of Dallas
balanced way. He has placed a high priority on Ex corde Ecclesiae and stresses the university’s Catholic commitment to high school students and their parents in prospective student weekends. But an incident took place in early 2008 which caused much angst—especially among alumni leaders—about whether UD’s Catholic identity was threatened by a misguided notion of “academic freedom.” A visiting student art exhibit included a blasphemous painting of the Virgin of Guadalupe, and although the university administration was unaware of the painting prior to the exhibit, the university’s response to student and alumni complaints was slow and inadequate. Eventually a Mass of Reparation was offered, and Dr. Lazarus served as a lector. It has thus far proven to be a single incident, and UD’s Catholic identity remains extraordinary by comparison to the many secularizing Catholic universities in America. The strong response to the blasphemous art is itself an encouraging sign. The new president will inherit an enduring Catholic ethos on campus, one which has a transformational effect on students, according to close observers of the college. For example, Father Philip Powell, O.P., the former campus minister, said, “Many freshmen come in looking like conservative Catholics. Over the course of their time at UD, they often become orthodox Catholics.”
232
He added, “And what is ‘orthodoxy’? It’s thinking, teaching and preaching with the mind of the Church.” In addition to the curriculum, the university bolsters its Catholic identity by its choice of campus speakers. In January 2009, Archbishop Agostino Marchetto of the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Care lectured. Other speakers have included those who have delivered the John Paul II Theology Lecture: Russell Hittinger, the Warren Chair of Catholic Studies at the University of Tulsa, presented the first lecture in 2007. He was followed in 2008 and 2009 by Cardinal Francis Arinze and Michael Waldstein, a theologian and translator. Some of UD’s speakers do not necessarily deal with Catholic issues but rather address a range of intellectual concerns. Examples include publisher Steve Forbes, Robert and Jean Hollander of the digital Princeton Dante Project, and Nobel Prize winner and Green Revolution pioneer Dr. Norman Borlaug. The 2008 commencement speaker was Dr. John Lenczowski, former U.S. government official and founder and president of The Institute of World Politics, who has been very supportive of the university as a parent of a UD student. Dr. Lenczowski told graduates, “It has been my conclusion, after considerable study, that there is no better liberal arts college in America.” And in a letter to pro-
The Newman Guide
University of Dallas
spective students, he assured them that “the University of Dallas teaches the Catholic faith according to the teachings of the Church.” The university also reaches out to the broader Catholic community. One example is through the renamed University of Dallas School of Ministry, which holds annual ministry conferences that draw more than 1,000 participants. The next conference is scheduled for October 2009 in the Dallas Convention Center and will include Archbishop Donald Wuerl of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., and Catholic columnist John Allen. Finally, the university has benefitted from interaction with other Catholic entities. It has had a long relationship with a number of religious orders, including the Cistercians, Franciscans, Dominicans, Sisters of Saint Mary of Namur and School Sisters of Notre Dame. The interdisciplinary Society of Catholic Social Scientists held their 2006 meeting on campus.
Academics Across the board, our interviewees report that the core curriculum integrates the Catholic worldview with the secular worlds of the various disciplines. This sense of interrelatedness is so pervasive that even a Buddhist who teaches in the English department sees the core as strengthened by the Catholic intellectual tradition. One alumnus spoke of him: “He loves the Catholic confidence that there is a Truth we can strive for.” There are 15 required courses distributed as follows: four each in English and history, three in philosophy, two in theology and one each in economics and politics. Students also select an additional 10 courses from several liberal arts fields. As befits a college that, as Dr. Lazarus notes, emphasizes the Catholic intellectual tradition, it is not surprising that the theology and philosophy departments would be strong. The Newman Guide
Because of the core curriculum, students also encounter this religious heritage “at different times and in different ways in their studies,” according to one faculty member. The theology department is anchored by chair Dr. Mark Lowery, a moral theologian, described by a recent alumnus as “very orthodox and well-loved,” by a campus official as “exemplary,” and by a former faculty colleague as “a saint.” Also frequently singled out for praise is Dr. Christopher Malloy, who teaches systematic theology. He told us, “We present orthodoxy clearly and in dialogue with philosophy and science. If a student wants to get Truth, it is very clear here.” There are many strong Catholic faculty members in the English department, including Dr. Gregory Roper, a medieval literature scholar and 2009 Haggar Fellow for teaching excellence, and Dr. Gerard Wegemer, an expert on Thomas More. Another spiritually engaged and popular professor is the chair of the history department, Dr. Thomas Jodziewicz, the recipient of the campus 2007 King Fellow Award. He started a faculty-student group around the theme of faith and reason. The reading for the first meeting in fall 2006 was Pope Benedict’s encyclical Deus Caritas Est. The sciences and mathematics are important at UD. Students in these areas get intensive training, undertake research work and go on to graduate study. Among notable faculty is Dr. Marcy Brown-Marsden, the biology department chair and a bird expert. Nearly 80 percent of the students, most in their sophomore year, participate in the Rome Program. Thousands have experienced this rigorous 15-credit semester over almost 40 years. The current site, known as the Eugene Constantin Campus, is a villa with a vineyard outside of Rome, complete with a 108-student residence hall and athletic facilities. The pope’s summer residence, Castel Gandolfo, is visible from the campus.
233
University of Dallas
In Rome, too, the core curriculum is emphasized, as immersion in the culture and intellectual tradition merge. “It is not at all uncommon to see students reading Sophocles in the Rome metro on the way to an art and architecture class,” one alumnus told us. And as one English professor emphasized, the spiritual dimension is ever present. He said, “The semester in Rome is a significant opportunity for spiritual growth. We are able to integrate our lives of study, living
together and practicing the faith. We have daily Mass, night prayer. The students particularly love that the faculty are there with their families.” “On the whole,” we were told by a recent participant, “people grow up during their Rome semester. The challenge of balancing time, the proximity to the heart of Western civilization and Catholicism and the closeness to some fantastic peers all rub off on people.”
Message from the President Dear Parents and Prospective Students: Since its founding, the University of Dallas has been dedicated to the intellectual and spiritual traditions of the Catholic Church. Nationally recognized as one of the premier Catholic liberal arts and sciences colleges in America, the University of Dallas has selected as its chief task the education of leaders. Our great books core curriculum allows students to encounter and engage the greatest thinkers and ideas of western civilization. A semester spent at our campus in Rome, Italy, complements the core curriculum for our students. UD’s discussion-oriented classes average 17 students, and the character of the UD education developed in those classes produces critical, independent-thinkers. UD offers 26 majors and 23 concentrations, as well as 10 pre-professional programs. All areas of study reflect our graduate approach to undergraduate education; as a result more than 90 percent of our pre-law students and over 85 percent of our pre-med students are accepted into their first-choice professional schools. Overall, nearly 80 percent of our graduates eventually pursue advanced degrees. The fundamental elements and history of the Catholic Intellectual Tradition are woven throughout the core curriculum and indeed, throughout our campus. UD is a place where students will find an intellectual and spiritual experience in perfect accord with each other.
Sincerely,
234
Dr. Francis M. Lazarus
The Newman Guide
The university also sponsors a studyabroad program for high school students in Italy and England. There are similar opportunities for adults and teachers. Because of this emphasis on foreign study, the University of Dallas has been identified as one of the top 20 study-abroad programs according to the Institute for International Education. Students as well as others also benefit from some domestic institutes. One is the Center for Thomas More Studies, which sponsors courses, conferences and publications related to the 16th-century English saint. The 2008 conference counted as continuing legal education for lawyers through an arrangement with the State Bar of Texas. The department of education sponsors the Dallas Area Network for Teaching and Education (DANTE), which helps prepare and nurture Catholic schoolteachers in Texas. And since 1987 the Institute for Religious and Pastoral Studies has provided a variety of courses. Recently, the IRPS launched a Master of Theological Studies degree for the Diocese of Tyler, Texas; a Spanish-speaking Deacon program for the Diocese of Dallas; and online courses for nationwide access. In May 2007, the institute was renamed the University of Dallas School of Ministry. During that month, the school also graduated an unprecedented number of 100 graduates from 37 Texas parishes from its Catholic Bible School. Bishop Vann of Fort Worth celebrated the graduation Mass that year and again in 2009.
The Newman Guide
University of Dallas
Spiritual Life The spiritual life at UD is, in the words of a 2006 alumnus, “extremely robust and alive.” One characteristic that repeatedly emerged in our interviews is that faculty and their families actively participate in Masses and other religious activities. As a result, one English professor said, “The students can see their professor as a whole person.” Masses are offered Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 12:05 p.m., and Monday through Thursday at 5 p.m. at the campus Church of the Incarnation. The chapel serves as a parish, and students and community residents swell daily Mass attendance to about 200 people. There are four Sunday Masses, including one on Saturday night. Confessions are heard six times a week and by appointment. The campus ministry has a few programs such as a weekly Dinner and Discourse faithbased social gathering and pro-life work through the Crusaders for Life club (a number of students attend pro-life observances in Austin). Social service activities are particularly strong. Among these is participation in the Dallas Hearts & Hammer program that refurbishes inner-city houses and serves meals at homeless shelters. A new weekly “Crochet Day” brings students together to create baby blankets for a women’s center. Another group volunteers every Friday afternoon at a local St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store. 235
University of Dallas
An outreach program which extends back to 1994 is the Alternative Spring Break, which focused then on assisting in Mississippi and Ecuador. In 2008 and 2009, students spent their spring break in Athens, Georgia, helping to tutor, repair buildings and create a playground. Students can share in the spiritual life of the on-campus Priory of St. Albert the Great, which includes 15 Dominican friars, and the nearby Our Lady of Dallas Abbey, which has 28 Cistercian monks. There is also a nearby Opus Dei center, the Wingren Study Center; one of their service projects is organizing an annual spring-break trip to a school for the poor in Monterrey, Mexico.
Student Activities There are more than 40 clubs and organizations on campus. In addition to typical collegiate groups, there is a Venture Club for outdoor exploration and camping, and a Best Buddies program that works with children with special needs. The pro-life Crusaders for Life group is very active. Every year the junior class sponsors Charity Week, a major fundraiser for charitable organizations; in 2008, over $19,000 was raised. The student government is reported to be strong and attracts active Catholics to its service. In addition to an executive council, there is a Student Government Senate and an events programming board known as SPUD. One popular annual social event is Groundhog Weekend in February, which includes a concert, rugby match and other activities; more than half of the undergraduates took 236
part in the 2009 event. The weekly student newspaper, The University News, is impressive. The Rotary Club has recently formed a chapter at UD. Three language clubs—German, Italian and Spanish—are up and running. Students also have the opportunity to participate in a broad intramural sports program. The University of Dallas fields teams in 13 sports under the umbrella of the NCAA Division III and competes regionally. The 2007 men’s soccer team was among the nation’s leading teams and posted a 17-1-1 record; the 2008 team received its first invitation to the NCAA tournament. Local cultural opportunities are presented in an organized program called Dallas Year.
Residential Life Most undergraduate students are required to live on campus. There are eight residence halls and a small number of apartments. A new residence hall, to house 298 students, is under construction and is due to open in January 2010. All apartments are same-sex, although married couples can live in the apartments. Students are separated in residence halls by gender by floor. The university handbook specifies visitation times throughout the week, and overnight opposite-sex visitation is not allowed. Students reportedly abide by these rules. There are chastity programs promoted in the dorms and by student government. Despite the university’s strictures against it, drinking has been a problem off and on.
The Newman Guide
University of Dallas
One former professor told us, “Drinking had an odd heritage in the early days of the university. There developed a sense that it was ‘a Catholic macho thing’ to drink, sometimes heavily.” Drinking today seems to be more of an off-campus issue. An alcohol-awareness week has been held each spring since 2006. The health clinic at the Haggar University Center addresses routine medical issues. There are several hospitals in the area, including the Las Colinas Medical Center and the Baylor Medical Center at Irving.
The Community Irving, Texas, is adjacent to Dallas, a worldclass city and part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area, which includes about 5.8 million people. The cultural, sports and social opportunities in the area are extensive. The popular Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League, which had played its home games across the street from the university’s campus, moved in 2009 to a new stadium in Arlington, about 25 minutes away. The region’s economy is largely based on health care, aeronautics, communications and banking. The region has a pleasant climate most of the year but has scorching summers. Crime in Irving is slightly above the national average, but the University of Dallas campus is relatively safe and free of violent crime. The most campus police violations, by far, are for alcohol abuse. UD is easy to reach, especially via Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, which The Newman Guide
is a key hub for American Airlines. Amtrak is located in Dallas, and there is an extensive system of roads. The Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Light Rail will open a UD station on its Orange Line in 2012.
The Bottom Line The University of Dallas is a premier Catholic university in the United States. It combines an extensive core curriculum, often emphasizing classical works, with an adherence to the Catholic intellectual tradition. The university prides itself on its quest for knowledge, confident that any inquiry will lead back to the Catholic Truth. UD has one of the most impressive studyabroad semesters that we have seen with its Rome Program; 80 percent of its students take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to immerse themselves in the classics in a region steeped in the antecedents of Western and Catholic thought. Overall, then, it is no surprise that so many commentators and other college guidebooks give the university such high marks. The University of Dallas has provided service to the Catholic community in Texas and throughout the nation for half a century. It has weathered some storms, expanded and, in the end, remained faithful to its mission. Any Catholic student interested in challenging his or her mind would do well to put UD on a list of colleges to investigate.
237
For more information on recommended Catholic colleges go to TheNewmanGuide.com
Videos, pictures, application deadlines, open house dates, admissions contact information, insider tips and more!
Free and online 24/7
Follow The Newman Guide on Facebook and Twitter @TheNewmanGuide
